Bobst Group completes acquisition of Germany's Fischer & Krecke

-- Converting Magazine, 4/14/2008

Lausanne, Switzerland-based Bobst Group completed its acquisition of 100% of the Fischer & Krecke Group (Germany) on March 31. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The purchase is in line with the company's strategy to expand its operations in the flexible-materials market worldwide and to strengthen its presence in the flexographic printing area, Bobst says.

The Fischer & Krecke Group is one of the world leaders (under the brand Fischer & Krecke) for flexographic printing solutions for flexible materials, paper and board and (under the brand Kochsiek) in two specialized areas: gravure printing and inline rotary diecutting for paperboard packaging for liquids, and gravure printing for decorative applications. Ralph Schuck, member of the Executive Committee of the Business Area Flexible Materials is the new director for all flexo-printing activities on Flexible Materials as well as managing director for Fischer & Krecke. Andreas Kückelmann (former F&K managing director) is the managing director of Fischer & Krecke as well as Chief Technology Officer.

In 2007, the turnover of Fischer & Krecke and its affiliates was about US$150 million, and the company employed 395 people worldwide, including 30 apprentices in Bielefeld, Germany.
 
Bobst Group intends to establish its worldwide center of competence for flexographic printing for flexible materials in Bielefeld. The Piacenza site in Italy will be progressively transformed into a group production facility similar to the already existing sites in Itatiba, Brazil; in Shanghai, China; and in Pune, India.